A Girl Like Her [Movie Review]

A Girl Like Her (2015) tells the story the effects bullying has, not only on one person but those close to the person being bullied. Not only do you get a first-hand experience of what’s it like to be bullied, but you get the bully’s perspective as well.

THE BULLY FACTOR

Jessica Burns (Lexi Ainsworth – General Hospital) is a high school sophomore who is bullied by her former best friend Avery Keller (Hunter King – Young and the Restless) because of a minor incident that took place during school. With the help of her best friend Brian (Jimmy Bennett – Murder in the First), Jessica hopes to capture the bullying she’s been enduring by wearing a dragonfly pin equipped with a spy-cam. Jessica made Brian promise not to show the film to anyone to which he agrees. Brian is also filming when he can via his photography camera with video capability. Through both methods we, the viewer, are able to experience what Jessica has and is experiencing.

Jessica is finding it harder and harder to cope with the bullying from Avery, and the constant tormenting from Avery proves too much for Jessica to where she only sees one way out.

DOCUMENTARY STYLE

The movie, filmed documentary style, made it more enjoyable to watch for me for I enjoy documentaries. The actors didn’t seem like actors, but rather, real people. Amy L. Weber not only directed the movie, but she played a documentary filmmaker doing a film on bullying. We never see Amy’s face, but we hear her voice throughout the film.

I feel this movie is the best one out there about bullying. It not only focuses on Jessica (the one bullied) but it also focuses on Avery (the bully). It makes you aware that all is not what it seems when it comes to the popular girls in school.

AINSWORTH AND KING – SUPERB ACTING

The acting by both Ainsworth and King was superb. I wasn’t too keen on Stephanie Cotton who played Jessica’s mother. Her display of emotions didn’t fare well with me. She was unable to shed half a tear and Mark Boyd (Jessica’s father) was just as bad. However, the rest of the cast, especially Avery’s mother, played by Christie Ingle (who began her acting career at age 42, this movie is her first role) was excellent as the annoying, overbearing parent.